Sports Business
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The strangest and most troubling sports story of the weekend was not Randy Moss being waived by the Vikings after saying he would prefer to be playing for the Patriots, his former team. No, that’s a HUMAN story at least. The worst and most bizarre story was Lee Westwood uncorking a bottle of champagne after ascending to the world’s No. 1 golf ranking by not even picking up a club.
He and his family were celebrating that he was “the best in the world right now,” not because of anything he did, but because of a poor finish by another golfer. That golfer was Martin Kaymer who needed a top-two finish in the Andalucia Masters in Spain to take the top spot himself. He placed 21st.
Westwood has hardly done anything recently to deserve describing himself as the world’s best player. He’s only finished one tournament since the British Open because of a calf injury and has yet to win his first major title. His rise to No. 1 is by default more than any other factor as Tiger Woods, the top player since 2005, has not won at all in 2010.
The problem is that the formula for tabulating the No. 1 golfer is calculated over a two-year period and rewards consistency and participation. It is such a farce that the sport’s best player in 2010 – Jim Furyk – is not even in the top five in the world rankings. He’s sixth.
Westwood’s perch at the top may be short-lived as his margin is slim and he could easily be toppled by Woods, Kaymer or even Phil Mickelson before the end of the season. What will Westwood’s reaction be if the computer says he’s not the best player anymore? You would hope he would realize the euphoria he displayed upon achieving the top ranking was misplaced and work hard to get healthy and focus on 2011.
Are we really going to succumb to our Orwellian compulsions and let computers decide who?the best players and teams are? I should hope not.
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